Institute for Field Research, UCLA, and California State University Northridge

Project Director:

Dr. Willeke Wendrich (wendrich@humnet.ucla.edu), UCLA

Project Description

Approximately 50 miles southwest of Cairo lies the Fayum, an oasis in Egypt’s Western Desert. The 2012 field school will concentrate on the Greco-Roman town of Karanis, founded in the third century BCE and abandoned during the seventh century CE. The preservation of the ancient remains is excellent and a wide range of archaeological materials is studied by a large group of archaeological specialists, including site management specialists. The Fayum Field School combines teaching American students with training Egyptian archaeologists employed by the Supreme Council of Antiquities, making cultural exchange an integral part of the program.

Period(s) of Occupation:
Greco-Roman Period

Project size:

1-24 participants

Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers:
Full Session

Minimum age:

18 years old

Experience required:

No prior experience required

Room and Board Arrangements

Student will stay in a tented camp in a walled area which is part of the project’s excavation headquarters. Two students will share a canvas tent, which has electric light, room to stand and has two beds with blankets, pillow and sheets provided. Classes, meals and paper work will be inside the dighouse, which has hot showers, work rooms and a lecture hall/dining room. Laundry and cooking are provided by the house staff.
Meals will be provided during the work week, which runs from Sunday through Thursday. Friday and Saturday are off and transport will be arranged to and from Cairo on Thursday afternoon and Saturday night. Students are free to explore Cairo or stay in the camp during weekends. For those who stay in the camp simple meals will be made available. Apart from the meals bottled water, fruit, tea, coffee and powdered lemonade are freely available.

Wendrich, W. 2010, “From Practical Knowledge to Empowered Communication: Field Schools of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt.” in: Controlling the Past, Owning the Future: The Political Uses of Archaeology in the Middle East. R. Boytner, L. Schwarz-Dodd, and B. J. Parker, eds. pp. 178-195. Tucson: University of Arizona Press.